


Drive

by appleslovetea



Category: Finder no Hyouteki | Finder Series
Genre: ;), Akihito is 33 but still a brat, Asami is 45 years old in this story...a very hot and sexy 45 years old, M/M, and a meddling Kirishima too, there is a puppy involved in this story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-06-17 21:37:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15470607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/appleslovetea/pseuds/appleslovetea
Summary: Asami leaned forward in the driver's seat whilst frowning at the dark clouds gathering above the road.It looked as though it was going to start raining any minute now.They needed to drive faster if they wanted to reach their intended destination before one of them ended up getting soaked – and that someone wasn't Asami.





	1. I.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this fanfic years ago, and I'm currently editing it. It is still to this day one of my favourites that I've ever written for Finder. Hope you enjoy it too ;)

Asami leaned forward in the driver's seat whilst frowning at the dark clouds gathering above the road.

It looked as though it was going to start raining any minute now.

They needed to drive faster if they wanted to reach their intended destination before one of them ended up getting soaked – and that someone wasn't Asami.

The business man lowered his gaze back onto the road and to the bike cruising right in front of his Maserati, and pressed the latter’s horn, hoping to get the biker to drive faster.

Instead of acquiescing to the request though, the biker decided to slowly start zigzagging his way along the asphalt, clearly unconcerned by the impending storm.

The long stretch of coastal highway both vehicles were on was completely deserted, which offered both drivers the opportunity to fully test out the potential of their new rides, however, the biker had so far seemed much more inclined to enjoy the beauty of the scenery surrounding him, rather than to push his Honda CBR300R's engine to the max.

The first raindrops to fall on the man didn't do much to change his speed either. As the clouds above both vehicles started to release their contents on them, the biker slowed down even more.

Asami huffed, signaling the Honda from behind with the car's flashlights, as well as the horn.

"Come on, move along." The business man mumbled under his breath.

This time the biker jerked his ride upwards, lifting the front tire off of the road and expertly making the bike stand up on its back wheel, as if attempting to perform some circus trick.

He was good at it too, for it was only half a mile ahead on the road that the latter brought the front wheel back down.

Inside the Maserati, Asami smirked at the stunt.

"Show-off." He said, as his hand gripped the shift stick. "Alright, let's see what else you can do."

Asami changed gears and immediately the sports' car sprang to life. The engine roared with power and as the business man brought his foot down on the accelerator, he could feel the immense potential of the machine start to unfold all around him.

With a quick turn of the stirring wheel, he placed the Maserati head-to-head with the Honda for a few seconds, just long enough so he could glance sideways at the biker, who looked very much surprised to see the Maserati appear so quickly beside him.

Asami couldn't help but grin as he pressed the horn one last time signaling his farewell to the other man, and stepped on the accelerator, soon leaving the bike behind while cruising at full speed along the empty road ahead.

His victory was short lived though.

Mere seconds later, the business man heard the distinct sound of the superbike approaching the car from behind, despite the fact that the Maserati was going well over 120 mph at the time.

He barely had time to catch the Honda on his rearview mirror, for it soon went past the sports' car at an incredible speed; the sound of the bike's roaring engine managing to muffle the Maserati's for a few seconds.

The smirk plastered on the biker's already rain soaked face didn't escape the other man’s notice. Asami shook his head whilst watching the bike diminish in size as it travelled further away from the Maserati.

"You're such a brat." He whispered; the ghost of a smile appearing on his lips.

* * *

 Some ten minutes later, Asami found the Honda parked by the side of the road.

He brought the Maserati to a halt, parking it next to the bike, before killing off its engine.

He got out of the sport’s car looking all around him, but there was no sign of the biker anywhere.

A wooden staircase located between two nearby dunes, however, gave him an idea of where he might be able to find the missing youth.

The rain had subsided for the time being, but as soon as Asami approached the dunes, he was showered by water mist carried from the nearby ocean by the strong afternoon wind.

He sighed, thinking himself a fool for having been the one to suggest they'd go out for a ride that day.

He was about to descend towards the beach when a muffled bark was heard behind him, grabbing his attention.

The business man was cursing under his breath even before he turned round to look inside the Maserati.

He couldn't believe he'd forgotten about the pup again…

A six-month old Labrador, the newest (and more than a little contested) addition to his household and life was peeking at him from behind the sports' car backseat window, unaware his owner had once again forgotten he even existed.

It was a good thing Asami's lover wasn't around to witness this mishap, otherwise another argument regarding the (recurring) situation would no doubt have ensued between them.

"I'm coming. I'm coming. Hang on." The business man bickered, as the pup's barks got louder.

No sooner did he open the car's door than the puppy jumped outside, wagging his tail in the air, clearly happy to find himself in an open space where he could surely produce the high levels of overall destruction and wreckage he was beginning to be known for by his owners.

The young dog had already managed to destroy two couches, three chairs, the end part of a table and about a dozen pillows back at home after all - and the wreckage list was growing with each new day.

Asami tried summoning the pup towards him, but the latter started sniffing around immediately, no doubt picking up his other owner's scent as soon as he approached the parked bike.

He lifted his head barking inquisitively at Asami, who just shrugged in defeat. No one needed to tell him he wasn't the pup's favorite owner.

"Go find him, boy." The business man nevertheless said, pointing towards the wooden staircase.

No need to say it twice, for the dog sprinted ahead of him towards the beach, barking happily all the way down there.

* * *

Considering the sky was about to rain hell down on earth, the ocean was particularly calm, save for a few larger waves breaking out a little way south of the beach.

Asami took his time walking down the stairs, training his ears to pick up on Yuki's barks, so he could use them to better navigate through the deserted beach.

He went round a dune expecting to finally come face-to-face with the elusive biker, but when the north side of the beach finally came into view, no one could be seen.

No one human, that is. Yuki was there barking in the direction of the ocean, near a pile of what the business man quickly came to realize were discarded clothes.

It took him but a nanosecond to figure out what was going on.

"Is he crazy?" He asked to no one in particular, as his eyes started scanning the sea in front of Yuki's line of vision.

Sure enough, Asami soon spotted a body floating upwards in the darkened water, looking as if it was part of the ocean itself; a flash of light brown hair the only indication it belonged to the person he was looking for.

"Akihito!" He called out above the sound of the wind and waves.

The still form instantly came to life in the water, lifting an arm way above its head and waving it at Asami. Even from the distance, the business man could tell the youth was smiling.

He stayed put on the beach watching as Akihito swam ashore, the photographer’s arms glistening with the colors of the ocean with each new stroke that cut through the waves.

The young man's lean, fit and butt naked body soon emerged from the water, his arms stretching and flexing above his head from the swimming exercise.

As Yuki ran up to greet his favorite owner Asami remained still, taking the time to admire his lover in silence.

Akihito had come a long way from the awkward, lanky and harsh wannabe photographer Asami had first met ten years ago. He was wiser, more confident, a lot more prudent and less of a hothead, and his body had filled up and gained muscle in all the right places, even though most people still thought Akihito was barely out of his teen years, on account of his perpetual boyish face.

Asami's head tilted slightly to the side as he took in his lover's naked form.

He couldn't help but grin. The best part of it all of course was that he knew Akihito was all his.

He watched as Yuki soon grew tired of being patted on the head and diverted his interest to a group of seagulls flopping about nearby.

Akihito let go of the puppy, continuing to walk towards Asami seemingly unashamed of his nakedness.

They'd been together for so long that they knew every inch of each other's bodies after all. There was no need to act shy around one another.

"Hey!" Akihito greeted; the same smile from before still on his lips. "I thought you two would never show up."

Salt water was dripping from his face and torso, and the hairs on his arms were sticking up from the cold.

"Here, put this on. It'll warm you up." Asami said, handing him the jacket he'd just taken off.

"But I'll get it all wet!" Akihito grimaced, watching the business man shake his head in return.

"It's fine." The latter said, throwing the jacket over the photographer's shoulders and sensing him shiver instantly from the temperature difference.

"Thanks." Akihito said, snuggling against the jacket as his lover pulled him closer to himself. "…The water's freezing!"

"Really? How odd, considering it’s February..."

Akihito knew Asami well enough to guess when the latter was being ironic. Instead of providing the man with a witty reply though, he resorted to the next best think – he stuck his tongue out at the older man in a mocking fashion.

His action conjured the reaction he was hoping for, for Asami soon let out a heartfelt chuckle.

"You brat! I suppose it would be pointless of me to ask what possessed you to go swimming in this weather?"

Akihito leaned in closer to his lover, basking in the feel of the other man's hands gently rubbing his arms up and down in an attempt to warm him up.

"The sky looks so beautiful today. I just wanted to see it up close." The younger man admitted, looking up towards the dark clouds. "I wish I'd brought my camera with me..."

Asami arched an eyebrow at him. "You mean you didn't leave it behind on the bike?"

Akihito shook his head. "No. I left it at home."

" _You_  left your camera at  _home_?!"

The look of disbelief on the business man's face nearly caused the photographer to burst out laughing.

"Well, you left  _your_  iPad at home, didn’t you? No work related stuff for any of us today, remember? That was the deal."

Asami nodded in silence.

Well, the part about leaving the iPad at home was true, at least. What Akihito was unaware of was that the Maserati was equipped with a hands-free phone devise and wireless internet and that on his way there from home Asami had already participated in two business calls and had run through his agenda for the upcoming day with Kirishima over Skype.

The man had a business empire to run, after all. He couldn't exactly take a day off… no matter how meaningful the date was to him.

"Thanks for the gift." Akihito's voice brought him back to the present.

The younger man's arms had somehow snaked round Asami's torso, not quite connecting at the back though. He had a silly grin on his face, the same type the older man suspected Akihito used to get as a kid when he'd receive an unexpected, but very welcomed gift.

"That bike is amazing. I never thought I'd own something like it."

"I’m glad you like it. Thank you for the Maserati, by the way. It's right up my alley."

Akihito looked confused by his lover's words.

"What do you mean? I didn't buy that car. Your business associates did."

"I suppose so…" Asami shrugged. "But I know you were the one who tipped Kirishima regarding it. Kirishima told me you even helped out in picking the model. He just presented the idea to my associates in the end, and they agreed to go through with the purchase."

By then the photographer's cheeks were turning crimson.

"That Kirishima-san…" He cursed under his breath, looking away from Asami. "He promised he wouldn't tell!"

The sound of a chuckle brought Akihito's gaze back to his lover. "I'm glad he did though." The business man confessed.

"But it's embarrassing.  _You_  gave me a superbike, and I… _I_  gave you a lousy pen."

Asami couldn't help but chuckle at the remark. "It's a Mont Blanc pen! It must have cost a lot."

"But still…it's just a  _pen_. And you…you gave me a freaking Honda!"

Asami chuckled again before leaning towards Akihito's face, his hand gently cupping the younger man's chin, holding it in place.

" _You_  are enough of a gift for me, Takaba Akihito. Don't you forget that." The business man said quietly, just before their lips met in a heated kiss.

Akihito soon forgot about the cold and the shivering and leaned into Asami's inviting body as much as he possibly could, soaking the front of his lover's shirt with the seawater still coating his naked body.

His fingers clawed at the business man's sides possessively, clutching the white shirt's fabric in an attempt to yank it off.

He would have probably succeeded in his endeavor too were it not for the fact that a certain part of his lower anatomy suddenly woke up, readily pressing itself against Asami's inner thigh.

The older man broke the kiss, looking down at the space between them just in time to see Akihito's full erection, before the younger man covered it as best as he could with his hands.

"Quite the gift indeed!" Asami grinned smugly.

"Cut me some slack, will you?" Akihito bickered, his cheeks once again tinted red. "I told you the water was freezing."

When he looked back at Asami, he noticed the latter's grin had not subsided one bit.

"Are you saying  _that_  is just due to the water then?"

The photographer narrowed his eyes at his lover. "You know, not everyone is obsessed with sex like you are, old man."

A flicker of something dangerous suddenly flashed across Asami's eyes. "Oh, really?" The older man said mischievously, just before he grabbed Akihito by the waist and slammed the latter's smaller frame against his own, so that Akihito's erection slammed straight against his groin.

It wasn't long before the photographer let out a treacherous moan. "Asami,… you bastard!" Akihito said between clenched teeth, feeling his legs start to go weak on the knees.

"Hey, how fast can you drive that Honda back home?" Asami whispered huskily against the other man's ear.

"Faster than  _you_  can drive the Maserati."

Asami smirked at the challenge. "We'll just have to see about that then."

"Yuki, back in the car. Now!" Asami commanded, turning his head towards the pup further down on the beach, and making sure his voice carried all the way through to where the pup was.

The business man might well not be the puppy's favorite owner, but Yuki sure never ignored a command from Asami.

Forgetting about the seagulls altogether, the dog sprinted like an arrow in the direction he and the older man had originally come from, soon disappearing behind a dune.

"You know, I think Yuki's starting to become afraid of you." There was a slight amused tone on Akihito's voice as he spoke, even though he was trying to sound accusatory.

"Good." Asami replied, trying not to smile himself.

He waited until the photographer had nearly put all of his clothes back on, but thinking he might as well get a head start on the race, he soon started walking back towards the wooden staircase alone, only to be stopped on the very first step going up, when Akihito caught up with him panting and unexpectedly hugged him from behind.

"…Thank you." The photographer said quietly; his voice muffled by Asami's shirt.

Asami didn't turn around, but smiled nonetheless at the gesture. "I told you the Honda was nothing-" He started, but soon felt Akihito shaking his head against his back.

"No…I don't mean the bike. I-I mean  _that_  too, but…but" Akihito stammered, squeezing Asami's torso tighter.

"…Akihito?" The older man asked intrigued, looking over his shoulder to find that Akihito's face had turned as red as the sweater the young man was wearing.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is,…thank you… for everything. For the past 10 years, and all…and…Ah, damn it! Why is this so embarrassing to say out loud?...Happy 10th anniversary, Asami! There, I said it!" The young man finished, feeling as though an enormous weight had just been lifted from his shoulders.

Asami felt a bit surprised by the sudden declaration, but soon recovered from it. "Happy 10th anniversary, kid." But as he leaned in to kiss the younger man, the latter dodged past him, running up the stairs as fast as he could.

"Last one home has to walk Yuki out every day next week!" Akihito said triumphantly, without looking back at his deceived lover.

"You brat! !" Asami shouted, soon running after him up the stairs.

The race was officially on!


	2. II.

As the afternoon progressed, the sky grew increasingly darker; so much so, that by 5 p.m. you couldn't really tell anymore if it was day or nighttime.

At around 6 p.m. a heavy storm broke, causing havoc all over Tokyo's busy streets.

Not everyone felt bothered by the gloomy weather though.

Up on the 40th floor of a Ginza luxury apartment building a young man sat on the floor of his bedroom, admiring the rain from behind the safety of the floor-to-ceiling windows that ran along an entire side of the room.

In his hands was a Nikon D810, which he had set to 'silent mode', so that he could take as many pictures of the cloudy skies as he liked without disturbing the slumber of the only other occupant of the bedroom.

That didn't mean, however, that the photographer didn't look over his shoulder towards the bed from time to time. He knew he was breaking the ‘rules’ by picking up a camera, and the last thing he wanted was to get caught red handed. After all, he had been the one who had insisted that both of them should abdicate of all of their work related gadgets for the day.

A flash of lightning suddenly broke through the dark clouds, illuminating the world outside for a brief second.

Akihito felt a shiver run down his spine as he watched the beginning of the lightning storm and pulled the bedsheet which covered his naked body closer to himself.

He lifted his camera and peeked through the viewfinder patiently, waiting for the next flash of lightning to cross the skies so he could take the perfect picture of the raging storm.

The rain was coming down furiously now, tapping against the windows with a vengeance and muffling any sounds coming from the city traffic down below.

The soothing ambience must have clouded Akihito's perception of his surroundings for a few moments, because he only really realized that Asami had woken up due to the thunder that had followed the initial flash of lightning, when he felt the older man's arms suddenly snake round his waist from behind.

"Aren't you technically cheating on your own rule?" He heard the business man whisper against his ear; the older man's voice still groggy from sleep.

Akihito lowered his camera, leaning comfortably against the other man's chest.

"Well,  _technically_  I'm not taking pictures for work, you see." He excused himself, chuckling nervously.

"Right…" Asami retorted unconvinced, taking the camera away from Akihito's hands and throwing it back towards the bed, where it landed with a soft thud.

"Hey! Be careful, will you? That camera can break easily."

Asami shrugged unconcerned. "I can always buy you a new one if it breaks." He said, lowering his lips towards the back of the photographer's neck.

Akihito shivered as his lover began to leave a trail of kisses from his neck down to his shoulder blades, more so because around the same time he felt Asami's hands tugging at the sheet covering his body, no doubt with the intent of stripping him from it.

"Asami…" Akihito found himself pleading, his voice however clouded with lust. "Come on, we've already done it twice this afternoon!"

He felt more than heard the business man's chuckle against his shoulder. "We've  _only_  done it twice, you mean."

Before Akihito had time to protest further, Asami lifted him up, carrying the younger man towards bed and laying him gently on top of the comforter before removing the bedsheet that covered the photographer's body.

The young man's upper torso still bore the marks of the love bites he'd received from his lover during their last love making session that afternoon, and from the looks of it, they would not be disappearing from his skin anytime soon.

Asami grinned while taking in the sight of the young man's inviting body spread before him on top of the bed. Akihito might not wish to admit it, but the business man could sense his need and lust from where he stood at the foot of the bed.

The photographer was desperately craving Asami's touch on his skin, so much so that his breathing was already coming out ragged.

"What is it?" The young man asked of Asami's silence; his eyelids half closed with desire as he devilishly stretched his legs on the bed making sure their sides grazed the other man's muscled thighs.

Before Akihito managed to pull back his legs though, Asami snatched his right ankle in his hand, securing it in place.

A mischievous smile appeared on the photographer's face then, and with a sudden, vigorous pull of his trapped ankle, he managed to unbalance Asami, who fell on all fours on top of the younger man.

"Gotcha!" Akihito exclaimed triumphantly, wrapping his arms around the other man's neck and lifting his head from the comforter to kiss him below the chin.

"I thought you were too tired for a third round…" Asami said, amused by the other man's rare show of initiative.

Akihito brought his hands down, scratching the sensitive skin below Asami's shoulders, so that the older man ended up releasing a shallow groan.

"I can't help it." The photographer whispered; his legs snaking round his lover's waist at their own accord. "You mess with my brain." He added, feeling drunk on lust. "Besides, I read somewhere that a man reaches his sexual prime at 33. I'm just acting on hormones, I guess. It's not my fault."

Asami huffed unimpressed. "And where did you read that joke? On one of those women magazines your agency sells pictures to?" He asked, watching Akihito grin suddenly.

"What's with the pissed off look, old man? You know you're  _way_  past your prime."

"Oh, am I?" Asami replied, grabbing Akihito's thighs with both hands and lifting them both into a sitting position in one swift movement, surprising his younger lover with the sudden action.

"I guess I'll just have to prove you that theory is wrong then." Asami said wickedly.

And he spent the next two hours doing just that…

* * *

 

Later that night, Asami woke up startled due to an unexpected racket coming from the master bathroom.

He sat up in bed, soon realizing that Akihito was already up and apparently causing mayhem in the adjoining room.

"Shit!" He heard the photographer curse out loud, accompanied by the sound of glass shattering on the bathroom floor.

"Akihito?!...Is everything ok?"

"O-Oh, sorry. Did I wake you?" The young man called out from inside the bathroom. "Sorry. I just broke something."

The business man leaned forward in bed just in time to see Akihito exiting the bathroom, whilst simultaneously trying to put on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Suffice to say, the photographer was not being very successful in his endeavor.

A quick glance at the alarm clock managed to inform Asami that it was already 10 p.m., making him frown instantly.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"Oh!" Akihito exclaimed as his head popped out from under the t-shirt's head opening. He was clearly in a hurry to go somewhere; that much was evident. "I just got a call from the agency. That corrupt politician the agency's running a story on just landed at Narita airport unexpectedly. My boss asked me to follow him around town. He's hoping to sell the pictures I take to the NY Times, if they turn out good. The politician is quite the sensation in the U.S. it seems."

He finally managed to put on his jeans, all the while ignoring Asami's ever growing frown. "Where's my camera's backpack?" He asked alarmed, only to spot the object a minute later by his side of the bed.

"Akihito."

"I need to hurry up. My boss sent a car from the agency to pick me up. The driver is already waiting for me downstairs."

"Akihito."

"I'm super stoked about this assignment-"

"Akihito!"

"What?!" It was only when the photographer stared at his lover properly that he noticed the murderous look on the latter's face, the same kind Asami used to get when something was not going as planned.

"I-I…I know the timing sucks, Asami." He said, leaning across the bed towards his lover, who seemed to be having a very hard time controlling his bad temper at the moment. "But this is the biggest gig the agency has had all year… I promise I'll return home a soon as I can." He added, making use of his best 'puppy eyes' impression, even though deep down he knew Asami was completely immune to that sort of thing.

Instead, the business man cupped the back of Akihito's neck, slamming their lips together in a passionate kiss that stole away the younger man's breath.

"Make.It.Quick." Asami warned as he broke the kiss, watching with amusement as the photographer tried to compose himself.

Akihito was on the move soon afterwards, fearing that if he stuck around any longer his work ethics would falter and he would willingly crawl back into bed and towards Asami's intoxicating body.

As he went to open the door to the bedroom, Yuki, who had probably been standing in the hallway all afternoon sniffing around in search of his missing masters, happily trotted in unannounced, carrying his leash between his teeth.

"Oh yeah," Akihito remembered, turning to look back at his lover. "Don't forget to walk Yuki out before bedtime." He added, even though the only reply he received from the other man was a grunt.

"Well, you did lose the race..." The photographer reminded, sticking his tongue out at the other man, before disappearing outside the hallway.

Asami heard the front door of the apartment opening and closing soon after, yet he stayed in bed awhile longer, up until Yuki finally managed to convince him to get up.

The business man threw a pillow towards the other side of the room so that the pup would follow it, leaving him in peace for a moment longer.

He got out of bed whilst stretching his limbs, and walked naked towards the windows. In the background he could hear the pillow being torn to shreds and found himself wondering for the millionth time what had possessed Akihito to want a destructive machine such as a Labrador for a pet.

He looked down towards the street below, catching a glimpse of the agency's car as it moved further down the rain soaked road.

It was doubtful that Akihito would be returning home that evening. The sort of assignment he had gone on usually lasted a couple of days at the very least.

Asami sighed tiredly. So much for his 10th anniversary plans!

He stretched an arm towards the chair positioned next the windows, where he had previously discarded his clothes.

As he picked up his trousers, something small dropped from one of the pockets towads the carpeted floor.

The business man looked down at his feet to find a familiar square box.

He picked it up, running his thumb over the black velvet that covered the box. He pressed the top part, as he had done countless times over the past few days when he had found himself alone, and watched silently as the little box carefully opened to reveal a solid silver band that could not possibly have fitted any of Asami's fingers.

He had not purchased the band for himself though...

Yuki's barks behind him brought Asami's mind back to the present. He looked one last time at the retreating car below and closed the ring box.

So much for his 10th anniversary plans, indeed...


	3. III.

Kirishima couldn't help but arch an eyebrow at his boss. It was clear to him that Asami Ryuichi's mind was somewhere else altogether that morning. After all, the man did not seem to have listened to a single word his assistant had said so far.

The latter coughed loudly in an attempt to bring the business man out of his uncharacteristic stupor.

"You have a company board meeting this afternoon at 3 p.m.." He reminded his boss, as he continued reading the day's agenda noted down on his iPad.

"At 4 p.m. you have a conference call with the foreign affairs minister in order to discuss Sion’s participation in the upcoming Asian market fair in the U.S.. The minister’s assistant has faxed over their proposal document. I was hoping you could take a quick look at it over lunch, sir. I believe you will find it quite advantageous for the company..." Kirishima added expectantly, even though the only answer he received in return was an absentminded nod from his boss, who seemed more inclined to continue reading the newspaper, than to become acquainted with what the day had in store for him.

Kirishima sighed clearly disappointed, but proceeded anyway. "At 5:30 p.m. you'll attend a tea ceremony downtown with the _oyabun_ of the Yamaguchi family. His rep has informed me that Yamaguchi-sama wishes to finalize today the details of the new weapon's deal you are working on with the family…"

Again, another silent and seemingly uninterested nod from Asami.

"At 6 p.m. I managed to squeeze in a visit to Dracaena on your way back to the office. The club's manager is very keen on showing you the results of the club's refurbishing process. The final touchups are being made as we speak, and the club's official reopening date is still set for next week."

Kirishima paused for a moment, waiting for his boss to provide him with any sign he'd listened to this last part at all.

"Asami-sama?..."

"Hm."

"…There is also the subject of the latest press article on you…You still have not issued a statement regarding it. If you leave it unanswered for too long…"

"What article?" Asami asked, finally looking over the morning newspaper towards his assistant.

"The one concerning the actress Onodera Rei…"

The look that the business man displayed then seemed to indicated he had no notion of what it was that his assistant what talking about.

"…The one that claims you're the father of the actress' unborn child…"

Asami dropped the newspaper on top of the desk. "Another one?"

Kirishima nodded apologetically. "I'm afraid so, sir."

"What am I? The only man left in this country capable of fathering children?"

"Well sir, Onodera-san hasn't herself issued a statement at this point, which is further fueling the rumors of a possible connection between the two of you… I suppose it was rather unfortunate that you were spotted together so often around the time she apparently became pregnant."

Asami sighed tiredly, leaning his head against the back of his chair. "Those were nothing but coincidences."

Kirishima nodded in agreement. "Of course, sir. But still, I would strongly suggest that you put out a statement on this matter as soon as possible…before the story gets out of hand…more than it already has, that is."

Asami frowned at the remark. "What do you mean by 'more than it already has'?"

Kirishima coughed somewhat awkwardly. "Well sir, I'm afraid the rumor has already made it to NHK’s morning gossip show." He confessed, picking up the TV's remote control. "I took the liberty of recording this morning's program for you to see for yourself." He added, turning on the television set fixed to one of the walls of Asami's office. "The program aired but an hour ago."

Before his boss had the chance to say anything at all, the office room was invaded by the sounds of the infamous gossip TV program's entry tune, courtesy of the state of the art surround system the business man had had installed in his office not too long ago.

Two overly maked-up women soon filled the TV screen, their clothes and dispositions way too bright and bubbly for such an early hour in the day.

"And what to say of the biggest story of the week, Midori-san?" The older of the two asked her co-host, as soon as the audience's applauses died down.

"Oh yes, Kaoru-san, quite a juicy one it is." The younger woman replied with an affected laugh. "Could this be the moment all of us girls have been dreading?"

Kaoru joined in on the laughter. "You are quite right. You are quite right! What a loss for all of us it will be, if the rumor turns out to be true. But we should explain to our audience the case at hand. They need to be in on it too."

She then paused dramatically, looking straight at the camera. "We are of course referring to the rumor that claims that Tokyo's business mogul Asami Ryuichi is the father of actress Onodera Rei's unborn child." The woman announced.

Collective exclamations of Ohs and Ahs were instantly heard from the studio's audience, who soon erupted in cheers and applauses as a picture of Asami and the actress in question, taken at a charity event a few weeks before, appeared on a giant screen behind the TV show's hosts.

In his office, Asami tried his best not to curse out loud.

"Aren't they a fantastic looking couple?" Midori-san asked the audience, looking over her shoulder at the screen with the sly smile.

The audience erupted yet again in cheers.

"Bear in mind though, Midori-san." Kaoru quickly interjected. "None of the parties involved have issued a statement on the matter at this point."

The younger woman winked at her co-host friend. "You know what they say though. If you don't refute a rumor in 24 hours…"

The comment brought out a laugh from the crowd, as well as the other host.

"That's true, I suppose. But we should remind our audience of some important facts." Kaoru turned to face the camera again, her voice sounding suddenly very serious and professional. "As we know, this is not the first time billionaire Asami Ryuichi is facing this type of rumors. In fact, throughout the years, he's been romantically linked to various actresses and socialites, but it was never possible for the press to effectively confirm the veracity of any of these love attachments. Furthermore, Asami-san's refusal to go public with his love life has fueled press speculation on his lovers' identities since he first joined Tokyo's business scene well over a decade ago."

"Our audience members will of course remember that the CEO of Sion Corporation has been named Japan’s Bachelor of the Year a staggering total of 9 times over the past 15 years." Midori said with another wink.

"That is very true, Midori-san." Kaoru said with a dreamy look, all the while at the screen behind her, which kept displaying different pictures of Asami and the Onodera Rei together at various social events. "Asami Ryuuichi sure is one fine piece of a man!" She said, causing the audience to giggle in agreement.

"Which brings us to this week's biggest questions…" The youngest of the hosts smirked at the camera in front of her. "Has Tokyo's most famous bachelor fallen for the charm of rising star Onodera Rei? Will the two of them walk down the aisle before the child is born? Will they-"

That was more than enough for the likes of Asami Ryuichi. He picked up the TV's remote control, which Kirishima had placed on top of his work desk, and muted the television before he heard any more nonsense coming out from the hosts' mouths.

"Kirishima..." The business man said to his assistant in the calmest voice he could muster.

"Yes, sir?" Kirishima asked readily, although he had a feeling he knew what his boss was about to say.

"Prepare a statement to be released to the press on this bullshit."

"Yes, sir."

"Today."

Kirishima tried to suppress a smile. Nothing infuriated his boss quite like the gossip press. "Of course, sir. I already have a draft prepared."

Even with the sound muted, Asami was having a hard time controlling the urge to throw the desk's paperweight directly at the hosts' faces in the TV screen. It would perhaps be a good way to vent out his rage, and he could always buy a new television set if he wanted to.

Kirishima's next words put a stop to his brilliant plan though.

"If I may, Asami-sama,… The hosts are right in regards to _one_ point."

The look that his boss gave him then seemed to indicate the older man thought he'd gone mental all of a sudden, so Kirishima was quick to elaborate on his initial comment:

"…The fact that you have never issued a statement to the press confirming that you are already in a committed relationship is at the root of all the rumors going about regarding your love life." The assistant said, watching his boss' eyes widening ever so slightly at the remark. "If you were to issue such a statement, I'm sure the press (and all those actresses and socialites, for that matter) would know you are taken, and would leave you alone."

The business man couldn't help but smirk at his assistant's words. "Are you suggesting then that I announce to the world that I'm dating Akihito? Just like that?"

"Well, sir. If you are indeed to marry Takaba-kun as you plan, then sooner or later you'll have to make some sort of announcement regarding it to the press, yes. A man with your position in society cannot marry in secrecy, after all."

The word 'marry' caused Asami to fidget involuntarily on his chair; something that did not escape his assistant's notice, even though the latter acted as if nothing had just happened as he continued exposing his thoughts.

"Also, I would suggest that if you still plan to marry before the summer, you start setting up dates with Takaba-kun as soon as possible. I'll need to find a way to squeeze a wedding and a honeymoon into your busy schedule, which with the upcoming plans for the construction of the luxury resort in Indonesia, will be quite the daunting task."

Asami didn't know if he should feel pleased or appalled by his assistant's matter-of-fact approach to such a turning point event in his life.

"Well, sir?"

"Well what, Kirishima?"

"Have you and Takaba-kun set any dates for the wedding yet?"

"You're talking quite a lot today aren't you, Kirishima?" Asami replied unamused, lighting a cigarette against his lips, something he did nowadays, only on particular stressful days. "No… We haven't set any dates for it yet." He nevertheless confessed, after taking a long drag from the cigarette.

"…And am I to presume that that is the case, because you have not yet asked Takaba-kun to marry you?"

"You know Kirishima, Akihito is over 30 years-old. I'm pretty sure you can drop the – _kun_  by now when referring to him." Asami interjected, noting however that his assistant for once was not keen on having his boss change the subject at hand.

Asami pulled a hand through his hair, letting a cloud of smoke escape from his lips. "No, I haven't asked him yet. The timing hasn't been right, that's all."

He heard Kirishima huff unimpressed, which caused him to arch an eyebrow at his assistant.

"I have a busy schedule, as you are well aware of." Asami said, as if that alone was enough of an excuse. "It's hard to find time to breathe on a regular day, let alone propose to someone."

Something resembling a smirk appeared briefly on Kirishima's lips as he heard his boss's last words. "Well sir, you will be glad to know then that I've cleared your schedule for today from 8 p.m. onwards. I've also booked a VIP room at the Bulgari restaurant in downtown Ginza for 8:15 p.m., as well as the presidential suite at the Ritz for the night. I've arranged for Takaba-kun, I mean, Takaba- _san_  to meet you directly at the restaurant at 8:30 p.m., which will give you ample time to stop by the penthouse first to fetch the engagement ring...that is, if you don't already have it with you."

For the first time in a long while, Asami Ryuichi was speechless. He looked at his assistant not sure if he'd just imagined what the other man had said.

"You did  _what,_  Kirishima?!"

The assistant looked up from the iPad with the most natural of expressions. To him, it was as if he'd just reminded his boss of yet another item on his daily agenda.

"Bear in mind though sir, that Takaba-ku...I mean – _san,_  thinks he will be meeting you for dinner in order for you to celebrate together his recent nomination for the photojournalist of the year award. He has no clue regarding the hotel stay afterwards, but I'm confident such will be to his liking as well." Kirishima concluded with a satisfied grin.

"..."

"By the way sir, I've rearranged tomorrow morning's schedule as well, so that you'll have the first half of the day off too."

"...Did you plan all this behind my back, Kirishima?!"

"With all due respect sir, I'm only looking after your best interests."

"Kirishima!"

"Sir! You have not been yourself ever since you bought that engagement ring. You are unable to fully focus on your work, you miss deadlines, skip meals. All of your subordinates have caught on by now that something's wrong with you. With all due respect sir, what is holding you back from making the wedding proposal? This hesitation is very unlike you."

Asami opened his mouth ready to refute the accusation, but quickly realized his assistant was making a valid point. He was well aware he had been acting completely out of character ever since his and Akihito's 10th anniversary celebration the week before, and he himself was not even sure why. Since when did he hesitate this much in relation to  _anything_?

"What is that you are _afraid_ of, sir?"

The word felt like a bucket of cold water being thrown at the business man's face. "Afraid?..." Asami smirked, almost amused by Kirishima's unexpected question.

He looked up at his assistant again intent on refuting the accusation this time around, but something behind Kirishima suddenly grabbed his attention.

To his complete surprise, Asami saw a picture of none other than his lover suddenly showing up on the muted TV screen.

"What the…?" He mumbled incredulously, picking up the remote again an unmuting the sound.

Kaoru's voice instantly flooded the office room again.

"And what to say of the newest sensation couple to hit the social scene in Tokyo, Midori-san? Don't they look cute together?"

"… _Couple_?" Asami mumbled, only then realizing that beside Akihito on the photograph was a well-known pop star.

"Yes, ladies and gentlemen." Midori-san started. "As you can see from the picture behind me, our reporters have spotted pop singer Hannah getting cozy with none other than photojournalist of the year nominee, Takaba Akihito. The picture you’re seeing was taken a few days ago at Japan's MTV Music Awards, and it is rumored that the two lovebirds couldn't take their hands off of each other all throughout the show."

Her co-host sighed. "Love sure is in the air, no doubt about it! So many new couples!"

A sudden cracking sound pulled Asami's attention away from the TV screen. When he looked towards his hand he saw that the remote's casing was broken. He'd been gripping it so hard, he'd actually managed to break it.

"Kirishima." He said again; trying very hard to control his anger.

"Yes, sir?" Kirsihima replied, although he again had a feeling he already knew what his boss was going to ask of him.

"Get me NHK Channel's president on the phone, will you? It's about time I have a chat with him regarding his channel's programming."

Kirishima bowed respectfully at his boss, in an attempt to hide his amused smile.

Indeed, nothing drove Asami Ryuichi mad quite like the gossip press.


	4. IV.

Akihito's behavior was off. Not in an obvious manner though. In fact, if it weren't his lover of ten years the one dining in front of him, it would have been very difficult for any other person to have realized the strange mood the photographer was in.

  
Akihito was generally quite talkative (way more than Asami), but tonight he was close to hyper, sharing the details of his most recent job assignment so enthusiastically, he was barely giving his lover a chance to participate in the conversation.

  
Not that the business man felt particularly inclined to do so. The latter's mood was itself off, and it didn't help one bit that, over the course of the evening, the business man had frequently caught his hand rolling the engagement ring box inside the pocket of his pants.

  
The truth was that the dinner was coming to an end fast, and Asami had yet to pop the question to Akihito. He really could not understand what it was that was holding him back, but whatever the reason, it was seriously starting to get on the man's nerves.

  
"You should have seen the politician's face when Mitarai blocked the way out of the hotel's parking lot with the agency's car so that I could take the photos." Akihito chuckled, not without a hint of embarrassment.

  
"You should feel proud of yourself though. Those photos turned out quite nice." (And quite popular too, since they were featured in all of the major Japanese newspapers the day after.)

  
The photographer smiled awkwardly at the remark. "Yeah, I guess." He said, massaging the back of his neck as both lovers fell into an unusual silence.

  
Asami clutched the box tighter inside his pocket.

  
"Akihito…" "Asami…" They both said at the same time.

  
Akihito blushed despite himself. "Ah, you go first."

  
"No, you go first... Please." Asami said calmly, watching as the other man seemed to become nervous all of a sudden.

  
"Well…I…T-That is…I…" Akihito started stammering.

  
"…"

  
"Huh…W-What I'm trying to say is..."

  
"What is it?" Asami asked, intrigued.

  
For some reason, the younger man seemed reticent to proceed, which was confirmed by the fact that he suddenly became very keen on avoiding Asami's direct gaze.

  
"What's the matter, Akihito?" The older man asked again, his voice still cool.

  
Akihito let out a nervous laugh. "Huh…So those photos I took last week… The ones my boss sold to the NY Times…"

 

"Yes? What about them?" Asami was having a difficult time understanding where this conversation was going.

  
"So…I got a call from the head of the photography department at the NY Times two days ago... He wanted to congratulate me on the photos. He really liked their quality and we spent some time discussing the photography exhibition the agency promoted last year. You know, the one that featured my photos on the Amazonian deforestation." Akihito was clearly stalling now, which gave Asami an uncomfortable feeling.

  
The older man removed his hand from his pocket, grabbing hold of his martini glass instead.

  
"Hm,…so…he kind of offered me a 5 year contract with the NY Times. The newspaper wants me to work directly for them from now on. The pay is really good…not to mention the exposure my photography would get." He said in one go, looking straight at Asami afterwards in search of a reaction from the older man.

  
Asami found himself smiling in return. "That's great. Congratulations!... So does that mean you'll be their correspondent in Japan?"

  
Akihito bit his lower lip, turning his gaze away from his lover again, and directing it instead towards his hands on top of the table.

  
"Well…the offer is for me to work directly for the newspaper…in New York."

  
The glass Asami was in the process of taking to his lips, stopped midway in the air. "Oh…I see." He replied, placing the martini glass back down on top of the table; his surprise now concealed behind a perfect mask of composure.

  
"And… have you given them an answer already?" The older man asked in his most casual voice. It sounded as though he was discussing some boring business case, which surprised his younger lover.

  
"Huh…No, not really. I kind of wanted to talk to you first, you see?" Akihito confessed, blushing as he spoke.

  
"Well, I don't see what's there to talk about. You should take up the offer, Akihito. It's the opportunity of a lifetime, after all." The detached business-like tone of Asami's voice further discouraged the photographer's mood.

  
This time the younger man wasn't able to hide his surprise though; his eyes widening at Asami as soon as the latter offered the casual remark.

  
"Yeah…I know that." Akihito admitted, his voice quiet. "But it's five years, Asami…I mean…Even if I manage to visit Japan once a month…"

  
His lover's next words felt like an arrow piercing his heart.

  
"Why would you bother visiting Japan so often?"

  
"Well…I-I..."

  
"I don't see what would be the point of tiring yourself with unnecessary travels." Asami added calmly, while taking a sip from his drink. It tasted like liquid poison to him. "You should enjoy your free time in New York. Why bother coming back to Japan so often?"

  
"But…what about us?"

  
Asami looked his younger lover straight in the eyes. "…Maybe this is a sign that we should take some time off from each other. We've been together since your early twenties after all. Perhaps it's time you go out and explore the world on your own and-"

  
The business man didn't manage to finish the sentence because Akihito suddenly got up from his seat; the latter's face muscles twitching under the skin, although whether the younger man was trying to look angry or merely attempting to avoid crying, Asami could not tell.

  
He looked straight at the older man, who was himself beginning to feel nauseous from his own words. What was wrong with him to be even suggesting such a thing to Akihito?

  
"You sure can be a real jerk when you want to, Asami." The photographer said, just before he stormed out of the VIP room of the restaurant, leaving Asami behind feeling even worse with himself.

* * *

 

The rain was pouring down by the truckloads by the time Asami managed to spot Akihito taking cover from the downpour under a gazebo tucked inside a public park two blocks away from the restaurant.

  
In his haste to leave the premises (and Asami) behind, the photographer had opted to walk, rather than wait for his motorbike to be brought to him from the parking lot by one of the restaurant's valet parkers.

  
Asami parked his Maserati close to the park's entrance gate, which was by then closed for the day, making him suspect the photographer had climbed over the park's fence in order to get inside it.

  
The business man exited his ride, pulling the collar of his coat up, in an attempt to protect himself from the chilly February wind. As for the rain, he couldn't do anything about it, but brave through it.

  
He tried forcing the gate open, all the while peeking through its iron bars, to make sure the younger man wouldn't spot him and run away again.

  
After two very frustrating minutes, the business man finally gave up and with a quick leap, he too climbed over the fence, falling on a heap of damp tree leaves on the other side.

  
The soles of his shoes squished as he walked over the carpet of wet leaves towards the gazebo.

  
The noise he made in the process was apparently way louder than he thought though, because as soon as his foot stepped onto the gazebo's first step, he heard Akihito's voice loud and clear.

  
"Go away!" The photographer said, not even bothering to look over his shoulder at his lover, who nevertheless continued to walk up the steps towards him. "I don't want to talk to you."

  
The other man stopped when he reached the landing, a few feet behind the bench Akihito was sitting on.

  
"You're soaked." Asami stated, looking at the way the younger man's wet T-shirt clang to his back. "You're going to get sick."

  
Akihito snickered at the accusatory tone in the other man's voice, but chose to remain silent.

  
He soon heard Asami sighing tiredly behind him.

  
"The car is parked outside…Let's just go home. I'll get someone to stop by the restaurant tomorrow to fetch your Honda."

  
"I can manage on my own, thanks. And I don't need a ride _home_." The way the last word was pronounced reeked of irony, which caused Asami's nerves to tense up.

  
"Brat." He mumbled under his breath.

  
"Hey! I heard that."

  
"Good! You were supposed to. Now put this on before you catch a damn cold." Asami ordered, throwing towards the younger man the jacket he'd left behind at the restaurant, which fell smack on top of the latter's head, obstructing his vision momentarily.

  
While Akihito fought with the fabric, Asami moved closer to the bench, sitting right beside the younger man.

  
Two flashes of lightning crossed the sky above them before any of them spoke up again. They were both far too stubborn to willingly take the initiative to break the silence.

  
"…Did you really mean what you said back at the restaurant?" Akihito finally asked, still not looking at Asami; his voice a mix of anxiety and hurt.

  
"About what?"

  
The photographer suspected that despite the darkness surrounding them, his lover could probably see the deep blush tinting his cheeks.

  
"About not caring if I move away to New York…About thinking we should take a break from each other…"

  
"Of course I didn't mean it!" Asami's reply held so much conviction that it was impossible for the younger man to doubt he was speaking the truth.

  
"Then why did you…?"

  
"I don't know why." Asami confessed reluctantly, pulling a hand through his hair. "I didn't mean to upset you…Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. It's just…I saw a stupid TV show today. Your name came up on it."

  
"What TV show?!" Akihito asked, clearly surprised by the revelation. Out of the two, Asami was the famous one after all…

  
"That stupid gossip program on NHK Channel."

  
The look of utter bewilderment that came over Akihito caused the business man to elaborate.

  
"They showed some footage of a music show you attended a few days ago." Asami explained. "Some popstar was all over you. The TV show hosts kept claiming you two were an item." He trailed off, clearly uncomfortable with the admission.

  
"And since when do _you_ , of all people, believe in that sort of gossip?"

  
"I said I was sorry, didn't I? I told you, I don't know what came over me." Asami quickly refuted, as they both fell into tense silence again.

  
"…What were you doing watching that stupid show anyway?" Akihito asked after a moment.

  
"Kirishima taped it for me. They ran a story on me too. He wanted me to see it."

  
"Oh yeah, the one about that actress' child."

  
Asami didn't know if it was the photographer's tone or the sudden gloomy look that came over the latter's features that caused him to raise an eyebrow at the younger man.

  
"Don't tell me you think there's any truth to the rumor?"

  
"No! Of course not." Akihito answered, looking away from the other man again. "It's just one more made up story about you, that's all." He fell silent for a few seconds, only to chuckle bitterly a moment afterwards. "At least you got to experience today what it feels like to hear a lie being told by the press about the person you love."

  
The comment managed to surprise the business man. He found himself smiling, despite his better judgement.

  
"What's up with you all of a sudden? It's not like you to get all jealous over me."

  
"Who said I was jealous?!" Akihito bickered, clearly blushing despite his denial.

  
Asami wisely chose not to point out that fact out loud.

  
"Well, you don't need to bother anymore concerning that rumor." He stated. "I had Kirishima release a statement to the press this afternoon confirming I have nothing to do with that woman. It should come out on tomorrow's newspapers. The press should leave me alone after that."

  
"Sure…until the next rumor comes along." Akihito said, but even though his voice was low, Asami heard him perfectly.

  
"You know very well I can't do a thing about those rumors. It's not like I can go around town asking the gossip press to pick another target for their stories."

  
"It's not all just the press's fault you know… You kind of help it out too."

  
"And how do I manage to do that, exactly?"

  
"Nevermind…"

  
"Akihito!"

  
The younger man huffed. He supposed he might as well come clean with Asami, even if it was at the expense of his own mortification.

  
"Well, you don't exactly push them away from you, you know? At parties and such."

  
Asami was growing more and more confused by the minute.

  
"Who's 'them'? Who are you talking about, Akihito?"

  
"Those women!" The photographer finally confessed, his cheeks bright red now. "Those actresses, and models, and socialites, all of them. They are always clinging to you any chance they get. I hate it!" He added, rendering the other man speechless.

  
"But what I hate the most is that you never push them away. Open any magazine and look inside it, and you are bound to find at least one photo of the great Asami Ryuuichi alongside his latest reported lover."

  
Asami stayed silent for a while longer, studying Akihito's profile beside him. Truth be told he had never given much thought to how those gossip magazine articles and photos affected the younger man. They had always seemed so silly and devoid of reason to him that he'd just assumed from the get-go that his lover shared his views on them.

  
"Why didn't you ever tell me you felt that way?" He asked, watching as Akihito bit his lower lip, something he normally did only when he was attempting to fight back tears.

  
"Have you never asked yourself why was it that I stopped doing press photography for the social events that you attend?"

  
Something told Asami the answer was not the one he had on his mind.

  
"It's because I don't want to be the one to have to take those photos showing someone else in your arms."

  
Another flash of lightning cut through the sky, followed closely by roaring thunder. The storm was right on top of them now, and the rain was turning into hail. Asami had an odd feeling he was expected to say something in reply to the younger man's admission, but for the first time in his life he didn't know what to say.

Akihito was clearly conscious of the fact though, the ghost of a bitter smile eventually appearing on the younger man's lips.

  
"You know, never mind what I said." He started, fixing his eyes on the hail hitting the  gazebo's railing. "Maybe I _should_ move to New York for a while. Maybe being apart from each other would do us some goo-."

  
"You know very well you don't really mean what you're saying, Akihito." Asami's tone was cool, collected, and his remark, annoyingly accurate.

  
The photographer's lips morphed into a thin line. "Well, I can't keep this up for much longer." He said, and before the words had a chance to sink in with his confused lover's mind, Akihito got up from the bench and walked over to the railing, where he leaned over with his elbows, enjoying the feel of the icy wind caressing his burning cheeks.

  
"What is it that you want me to do exactly, Akihito?" The fateful question came not long after, causing the young man's heart to beat harder against his breastbone.

  
He sighed quietly, his voice nearly muffled by the sound of the hail falling around them.

  
"You're not going to give me what I want, so what's the point in asking for it?"

  
"Try me." Asami said, voice dead serious.

  
"…"

  
"Akihito..."

  
The photographer's stubborn silence finally broke the other man's composed countenance. With a couple of quick steps, the business man found himself right behind his lover, wheeling the latter around with one swift movement so that they both faced each other.

  
Akihito was biting his lower lip again, although this time the effort wasn't producing the desired effect; a treacherous tear was about to fall down his eye.  
Asami's voice cooled down immediately. "What is it that you want, Akihito?" He asked again, feeling the photographer's arms moving upwards so that his hands ended up clutching the sides of Asami's waistcoat.

  
"…I want _you_." The young man confessed, lowering his face to Asami's chest in defeat.

  
The older man let out a breath he wasn't even aware he was holding.

  
"You already have me, you brat!" He said relieved; his hand coming up to cradle the back of the photographer's neck.

  
Akihito shook his head against his lover's shirt. "But I want everyone to know I have you..."

  
Asami's eyes widened in surprise. "What? What does that mean exactly?"

  
"I…I want you to marry me, Asami."

  
"...What?"

  
"I want all those flimsy idiots to know that they can't cling to you, because you're mine."

  
"…"

  
"Marry me…please."

  
"…"

  
Akihito took Asami's silence as a bad sign. He let go of the business man's shirt, taking a step back from him.

  
His whole face was a deep shade of red, as he searched for any signs of an answer on the other man's face.

  
Only a shocked and bewildered expression greeted him though, so Akihito did the only thing he could think of at the moment.

  
He wheeled his body around and started to walk away from Asami, towards the gazebo's steps, as fast as his legs would allow him.

  
He didn't manage to get far though, for Asami's arms soon wrapped around his waist, quickly turning him round and holding Akihito in place against his broad chest.

  
"Let go, Asami!"

  
"…"

  
"Let go! I want to leave. I've embarrassed myself enough for one nigh-."

The younger man wasn't able to finish the sentence, because he was soon silenced by Asami's lips, which covered his own, trapping them in a heated kiss that managed to steal away the strength from Akihito's knees.

"Don't you want to hear my answer first?" Asami whispered against the photographer's lips when he broke the kiss.

"…W-What?"

Akihito felt his heart beating inside his throat. He saw Asami's hand reaching for something inside his pant's pocket; surprise flashing through his eyes as he caught sight of a small velvet box.

His surprise quickly turned into shock when Asami slid his thumb over the top part of the box, opening it to reveal a smooth platinum band.

"Will you marry me too, Takaba Akihito?"

The photographer looked from the ring to his lover's face, and back at the ring again; his lips trembling all the while despite himself.

He opened his mouth briefly, but try as he might no words came out, so he just leaned his face against the other man's chest again.

He felt as Asami's muscles flexed underneath his shirt, when a quiet chuckle reverberated through his body.

"Are you crying, Akihito?" He heard the older man ask him amused.

The photographer shook his head. "No." He readily replied, although the word was accompanied by a treacherous hiccup.

"You brat!" Asami retorted with a laugh, before he bent down to kiss Akihito on the lips again; their kiss more powerful than all the rain, hail, lightning and thunder falling down around them.


End file.
